The trial has brought to the fore the prevalence of sexist and misogynistic attitudes that exist in the legal system and society in general. In Northern Ireland, over 94% of all rape trials have resulted in no conviction for the accused. The conviction rates for sexual violence are far lower than for any other crime. In the South only 19% result in convictions and 7% when the case is contested. As Suzanne Breen, one of the few journalists who have covered this trial in a fair manner, put it: “This was a case where it wasn’t always clear who exactly was on trial. Each defendant is rightly allowed their own legal representation. But a 21-year-old woman being cross-examined by four defence barristers over eight days pulls at your heart-strings…The young woman failed to secure the verdict she desired. She did not win, yet she has certainly not lost.”

On 28th October 2016, a fish trader, Mohsen Fikri, was murdered in Al-Hoceima in the Rif region of northern Morocco following a police check. The appalling images of his death caused great anger and launched one of the largest protest movements in Morocco since the Arab Spring mobilisations in 2011.

It has been two years since the demonstration in Belfast which brought 20,000 people to the streets in support of marriage equality. Prior to this point, the issue had been brought up a number of times in Stormont, but was repeatedly rejected by elected representatives.

The UK recently experienced three horrific attacks in Manchester and London. Although devastating, the solidarity amongst Mancunians and Londoners showed the depths of human kindness. However, right-wing groups attempted to hijack innocent deaths to further their intolerant agendas.

Another abortion rights case is currently on its way to the European Court of Human Rights. This case aims to challenge the decision by Tory Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to deny women from Northern Ireland free access to abortions under the NHS in England.